Begonia plant named ‘BKPBEMCRG’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘BKPBEMCRG’, characterized by its broadly upright and mounded plant habit; sturdy plants with freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; and single flowers that are red in color.

Botanical designation: Begonia x hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKPBEMCRG’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia x hiemalis, commercially referred to as Elatior Begonia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BKPBEMCRG’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely branching and freely flowering Begonia plants with attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2015 of a proprietary selection of Begonia x tuberhybrida identified as code number 09-0008-03, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Begonia socotrana, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in October, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since March, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BKPBEMCRG’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BKPBEMCRG’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Sturdy plants with freely basal branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Single flowers that are red in color.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Begonia are dark green in color         whereas leaves of plants of the female parent selection are         reddish green in color.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Begonia are glabrous whereas         leaves of plants of the female parent selection are pubescent.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia have red-colored flowers whereas         plants of the male parent selection have pink-colored flowers.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia do not produce pollen         whereas flowers of plants of the male parent selection produce         pollen.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia x hiemalis ‘BKPBECRM’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,818. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of ‘BKPBECRM’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Begonia are larger and darker         green in color than leaves of plants of ‘BKPBECRM’.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have single-type flowers whereas         plants of ‘BKPBECRM’ have double-type flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BKPBEMCRG’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 2) are close-up views of a typical flower bud and the upper and lower surfaces of typical developed flowers and leaves of ‘BKPBEMCRG’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements were grown during the summer in 10.5-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dinslaken, Germany. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 19° to 21° C. Plants were eleven weeks from planting rooted cuttings when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia x hiemalis ‘BKPBEMCRG’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia x             tuberhybrida identified as code number 09-0008-03, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Begonia socotrana, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 20 days at temperatures about             25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 35 to 36 days at             temperatures about 21° C. to 23° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically brown in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots; plants             of the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching habit; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Broadly upright and mounded plant             habit; overall plant shape, globular; moderately vigorous             growth habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 21.6             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 26.1             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 31.6 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely             branching habit with about three basal branches each with             about three lateral branches developing per plant; pinching             is not required. Length: About 9.9 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm.             Internode length: About 2.7 cm. Strength: Moderately strong.             Aspect: About 25° from vertical. Texture and luster:             Sparsely pubescent; moderately glossy. Color, developing:             Close to 152B slightly tinged with close to N199A. Color,             fully developed: Close to 152A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 15.4 cm. Width: About 10 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Oblique, lobes not imbricate to imbricate.             Margin: Dentate to crenate; moderately to strongly undulate.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Smooth, glabrous, venation, sparsely pubescent; velvety;             slightly glossy. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: Darker than 147A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 197B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than 147A; venation,             close to 147B and proximally, close to 187C. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 148B slightly to moderately             tinged with close to 182C; venation, close to 199A to 199B.             Petioles: Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 5.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong, flexible. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Moderately pubescent; moderately             glossy. Color, upper surface: Slightly darker than 152A;             distally, close to 187C. Color, lower surface: Close to             152A; distally, close to 187C. Stipules: Quantity per leaf:             Two. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape: Broadly             ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margins: Entire,             ciliate. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146D;             towards the margins, close to 179C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Rotate single-type male flowers arranged in             axillary compound cymes; freely flowering habit with about             nine flowers per cyme and about 150 flowers developing per             plant during the flowering season; flowers face upright to             outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants             flower freely and continuously from spring into the autumn             in The Netherlands; during the winter in a greenhouse,             plants begin flowering about five weeks after exposure to             photoinductive treatments.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Individual flowers last about ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent; plants maintain             good substance for about 20 to 30 days in an interior             environment.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 14.2 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 11.4 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter, flattened:             About 7 mm to 23 mm. Shape: Reniform; flattened. Texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Color: Close to             46A; towards the base, close to 45A.         -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 5.8 cm. Depth: About 1.8 cm.             Tepals: Quantity and arrangement: Five, occasionally six,             per flower arranged in two whorls. Length, lower tepals:             About 3 cm. Width, lower tepals: About 3.3 cm. Length, upper             tepals: About 2.8 cm. Width, upper tepals: About 2.5 cm.             Shape, lower tepals: Roughly reniform. Shape, upper tepals:             Broadly obovate. Apex, lower tepals: Rounded. Apex, upper             tepals: Obtuse. Base, lower tepals: Broadly cuneate. Base,             upper tepals: Cuneate. Margin, lower and upper tepals:             Entire; moderately undulate. Texture and luster, lower and             upper tepals, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous, velvety;             matte. Texture and luster, lower and upper tepals, lower             surface: Smooth, glabrous, velvety; matte and at the base,             slightly glossy. Color, lower tepals: When opening, upper             surface: Close to between 44A and 44B. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 42B; towards the apex and margins, close             to 42A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 44B; venation,             close to 44B; color does not fade with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 42A; venation, close to 42A;             color does not fade with development. Color, upper tepals:             When opening, upper surface: Close to between 44A and 44B.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 44C; towards the apex             and margins, close to 42A. Fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 44B; venation, close to 44B; color does not fade             with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to             between 44B and 44C; venation, close to between 44B and 44C;             color does not fade with development. Tepaloids: Quantity             and arrangement: If present, up to seven arranged in a             single whorl at the center of the flower. Length: About             1.8 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire; slightly to moderately             undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous, velvety; matte. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to between 44A and 44B. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 44C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             44B; venation, close to 44B; color does not change with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to between             44B and 44C; venation, close to between 44B and 44C; color             does not change with development.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.1 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Angle: About 35° from lateral branch axis. Strength:             Moderately strong; flexible. Texture and luster: Sparsely             pubescent; moderately glossy. Color: Close to 152B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:             About 45° from the peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately             strong; flexible. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent;             glossy. Color: Close to 179A.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Two per flower,             opposite. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape:             Broadly ovate to roughly rhomboidal. Apex: Acute. Base:             Broadly cuneate. Margin: Finely serrate; ciliate. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             between 178B and 178C; proximally, close to 178B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About 25. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close             to 14A becoming closer to 24A with development. Anther size:             About 1.5 mm by 2 mm. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther color:             Close to 14A becoming closer to 24A with development. Amount             of pollen: None observed.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Begonia as only male flowers             develop. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Begonia plants has not been observed on plants of the new     Begonia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be suitable for     USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘BKPBEMCRG’ as illustrated and described. 